For more than a decade, members of the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) Chapter 1008 have been visiting local high schools, sharing their stories of their experiences with students. That tradition continued in October at Manheim Central High School, with upcoming presentations at Donegal High School on Monday, Dec. 8; Garden Spot High School on Tuesday, Dec. 16; Elizabethtown Area High School on Thursday, Dec. 18; and Lampeter-Strasburg High School on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026.

"This group is a really good thing," said veteran Patrick Gibson. "We all have different stories. We had many similar experiences, but we also had our own experiences."

Gibson, who served as a medic during the Tel Offensive, was a history teacher in York County and said he appreciates this opportunity to share living history with the younger generation.

"There's nothing like having different people talking about the same thing but giving their unique perspective," he said. "This program keeps the kids interested, because it isn't just one person standing up there giving a lecture."

At every presentation, education committee chair John Hoober starts the program by having each veteran introduce himself. Then, he reminds the students that the program is their opportunity to engage with the panelists.

"We want to know, 'What do you want to know about the Vietnam War and the Vietnam War era?'" he told a group at Manheim Central. "We're not here to teach a history lesson. We want to answer your questions."

Students at the program asked questions about everyday life for the men while they were on active duty. They want to know how they communicated with friends and family back home (writing letters, the veterans told them, since access to a phone was rare) and what their biggest challenges were ("staying alive," said veteran Mike Mazzaro).

For the guys, the program provides an opportunity to share their stories and relive a time in their lives that still impacts them today, more than 50 years later.

Bob Chavous was drafted into the Army in May of 1968. Throughout his two years of service, he earned the Silver Star for gallantry in action, received two Purple Hearts and was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge for flying 25 helicopter combat assaults in 30 days.

He came home with stress and anxiety from his experience. At the suggestion of his therapist, he joined the veterans' group and began sharing his story with students.

"It has helped me tremendously to be part of this group," he said. "For many years, I didn't say anything about my service. A lot of guys don't like to talk about it. But I'm not afraid to talk about it. I want kids to understand we served our country, and we're proud of it."

Veteran John Dobish, who served in the Army from 1968 to 1970, said the program matters because it connects the veterans to kids who are close to the age they were when they went to war.

"We let them know that we had to grow up differently than how they are growing up," Dobish said. "I was 19 when I got drafted. I want these kids to know what we went through."

Hoober emphasized that the students in the room could probably see themselves reflected in the soldiers who fought in Vietnam.

"Most of these guys were 18 or 19 years old," he said. "This was a young person's war."

Students at the presentations want to know details about what the soldiers ate for meals, how they handled the terrain and weather conditions, how they were treated upon their return to the United States, and if their feelings about the war have changed over time.

Responding to that last question, Hoober said, "The short answer is 'yes.' When we were there, we had a job to do. But leaving Vietnam and coming back to civilian life was not easy."

After each presentation, the veterans meet in small groups with students, sharing memorabilia and photographs they've brought with them from their time in Vietnam.

It's an opportunity to underscore the real history of our military, Gibson said.

"I don't like when students only see the Hollywood version of Vietnam," he remarked. "I want them to know what really happened."

The veterans' school visits are part of the ongoing mission of VVA Chapter 1008 to educate the public about the Vietnam War and honor those who served. The group also participates in community service, such as ringing bells for the Salvation Army during the holidays and sending sympathy cards to families of deceased Vietnam veterans.

Chapter 1008 welcomes new recruits who served on active duty in Vietnam between Nov. 1, 1955, and May 7, 1975, or in any duty location between August 5, 1964, and May 7, 1975. For more information, visit https://vva.org.